Anshul Kumar
If one were to attempt to comprehend Plato and Descartes’ philosophical thoughts one thing that is worth acknowledging is that religions of the world associate people with either immaterial souls or pure egos. From this perspective, people have bodies only contingently, not necessarily, so they can live after bodily death.
Etymologically identity comes from latin ‘identitas’ meaning ‘sameness’.
Who is doing identity politics? What if I say that this form of doing politics is proving to be dangerous for the humankind? Is it making evil even more banal?(Arendt). Can’t we refrain from doing such a politics which is creating divisions? (See links below)
Religion, Politics and one’s Social Identity are extremely intertwined. However hard you try to remain apolitical, agnostic, atheist or liberal in your approach towards life, you will always be judged by the aforementioned trio which defines human existence. The only respite from not getting trapped in such identities is if you are born a white male or a brahmin or into a family of dominant caste or race or ethnicity. Then if you are liberal in your leanings, you will be hailed as a champion of human rights and values. A vanguard sent from heaven to unite human race as a whole by setting aside all the differences based upon racial, ethnic, gender or caste based identities. It is like closing your eyes and expecting the world to turn completely dark. Sadly, this is not the way the cosmos functions. This utopian lollipop of syncretism is first of all not as sweet as it is professed to be. Even if it comes out sweet, it will be too diabetic for humankind and then the only ‘insulin’ will be the politics of the oppressed, marginalised and the persecuted. Unlike the earth as it is perceived by humans there are no dichotomies or binaries defining the naturality of our entire cosmos.
Only humans have created the binaries of black and white, modernism and conservatism. Binaries can never define us as what the cosmos has made us to be. Same goes for identity politics. It is a fallacious argument that believing in one’s identity leads to hatred among groups with varying interests. While those who are privileged enough to be getting undue advantages from their social status might see identity politics as debilitating but then this is how privilege works. You are privileged enough to not even care or observe that you have privileges. Instead those who have identity which is accepted with no less scorn and contempt are extremely vulnerable to pay the price of being assertive. The apocryphal statement of Karl Marx which is often quoted by aspiring ‘sociologists’ of half baked intellect is, “Religion is the opium of the people”. Marx in his ‘A contribution to the critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of right’ says that, “Religious suffering is at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creatures, the heart of the heartless world, and the soul of the soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” The waters of the mighty oceans of the earth appear blue apparently but colourless it is. Identity politics is seen as pernicious by those who are at a stage where they are bound to lose all their dominance and hegemony over the masses.For the oppressed, the marginalised and the persecuted masses it is a pertinent question of to be or not to be. Identity politics is the need of the hour.
~People should at least ponder over as to who all are really doing identity politics and who are not?
~We cannot define Identity Politics from the perspective of those who are devouring the masses off their identity!
~Is Identity Politics responsible for creating a deep chasm of ethnic, racial or caste enmities and divisions among the humans?
~Something we all should accept is that ‘Modus Vivendi’ of Secularism should not be accepted the way it is being done.
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Links
Labelling the Dalit movement as identity politics is a major contradiction by Jay Prakash Faqir
Stop Calling it ‘Identity Politics’-It’s Civil Rights Marcus H Johnson
Reverse Racism Aamer Rahman
Class and identity politics are not mutually exclusive. The left should use this to its benefit Jeff Sparrow
The Identity Politics of Whiteness Laila Lalami
Identity Politics And Rumors Of Its Death Are Premature Rev Al Sharpton
Who? Me? Casteist? Vivek Singh
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Anshul Kumar is doing his First Year Bachelor in Arts at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Originally from Delhi, his subjects here are Sociology, Ancient Indian Culture and Anthropology. He says he is a beginner in being an “Ambedkarite”, he aims to be an academic and teach sociology.
